Pioneering national mental health programme for autistic pupils extended until 2028

The Autistic and OK programme is an educational toolkit launched by national charity Ambitious about Autism, Zurich UK and the Z Zurich Foundation in 2024. To date, the programme has been downloaded by 1,000 schools, potentially reaching over 20,000 autistic young people.

Now, its vital work will continue thanks to further funding from the Z Zurich Foundation and support from Zurich UK. Over the next three years, new resources will be added to the programme and there will be a focus on improving school-wide autism understanding. There will also be deeper engagement with specific UK regions to increase programme take-up.

The programme was created to empower autistic young people to take control of their mental health before reaching crisis point. There are over 200,000 autistic pupils in schools in England¹ and mental health problems are prevalent among them. Four in five autistic young people experience mental health problems².

Autistic and OK was developed with the support of a group of autistic youth advisors from the charity’s Ambitious Youth Network, who helped design the programme’s resources which focus on conditions such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as the associated topic of bullying. Autistic youth advisors will continue to play a key role in the next phase of the programme’s development.

The existing toolkit provides free resources for older autistic pupils to run peer-led wellbeing sessions for their younger autistic peers. It also includes an assembly pack and training module for school staff, to help foster acceptance among the whole school community. As a result, 9 in 10 teachers observed signs of improved wellbeing amongst autistic pupils who took part in the programme³.

Rebecca, aged 21, an autistic youth advisor who will continue to develop the programme, said:

“The Autistic and OK programme has been invaluable for everyone involved. It has helped autistic pupils feel more empowered to look after their own mental health, given older autistic pupils confidence and transferable skills for the future, and created more autism-friendly school environments.

“But our work to make schools a more inclusive place for autistic pupils isn’t done yet. Too many autistic young people are still missing out on learning and struggling with their mental health. Thanks to the extension of this programme, we hope to enable every autistic young person to feel safe and accepted in school.”

Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive of Ambitious about Autism, said:

“We are thrilled that the Autistic and OK programme has been extended for another three years, thanks to the continuing support of our fantastic partners at Zurich UK and the Z Zurich Foundation.

“The programme has been a tremendous success, reaching over a thousand schools, and enabling so many more autistic pupils to look after their mental health, understand themselves better, and feel safe in their school environment.

“The positive impact of Autistic and OK is a result of the expertise, dedication, and passion of the autistic young people who developed the programme. Over the next three years, they will continue to channel their experiences into something that will have a lasting impact on autistic pupils and their peers, and parents and teachers across the UK.

“We look forward to continuing this vital work to make schools a safe and understanding environment for autistic young people, so they can realise their ambitions in education and beyond.”

Gary Shaughnessy, Chair of the Z Zurich Foundation, said:

“Supporting young people’s mental wellbeing is at the heart of our mission at the Z Zurich Foundation. The extension of the Autistic and OK programme means more autistic students will have access to resources that help them understand themselves and feel accepted in their school communities. We’re proud to work alongside organisations that help create environments where mental health and wellbeing are prioritised, and every young person can thrive.”

For more information about Autistic and OK and Ambitious about Autism, visit ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk.

¹Department for Education SEN statistics published June 2025
²Crane et al. (2017). ‘Know Your Normal’ – mental health in young autistic adults. Published June 2017
³Autistic and OK programme impact report published September 2025